[FA Worldmusic] Language redux...

[Dmitri Vietze]

Maybe I overstated my case, Robert. I would love to see the LED screen 
translations tested out. I'm a little concerned that it might give certain 
performances a too academic feeling, but I'd like to experience it (I admit: 
have not gone to the opera). And I do think language translation in certain 
contexts  is helpful. (I personally pay more attention to timbre and rhythm, 
than lyrical content, even in English-language songs. But I realize that is 
my personal listening taste/approach. On the other hand, when an artist 
talks between songs I am dying to understand what they are saying.)

My main point is that I think the U.S. American tendency away from what is 
placed in the "world music" realm has to do with a broad societal tendency 
away from "foreign things." It's the same insular mindset that our 
government follows in their "foreign policy."

Mel, you're saying the obstacle is airplay. I find major airplay (as well as 
mainstream magazine attention) to be a chicken or egg thing with audience 
demand. I do not think that airplay of global/cross-cultural music to 
increase significantly until major media outlets see a demand for it. The 
common denominator audience that major media are targeting, does not care. 
Yet.

Much respect,

===> Dmitri!
music at rockpaperscissors.biz

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Singerman" <robert.s at french-music.org>
To: <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 1:02 PM
Subject: [FA Worldmusic] Language redux...


> What is it about language that throws off so many people? I agree, too, 
> that
> language translation ALONE will probably not solve our problems?
>
> But it will most certainly go a long way towards assisting, which is why I
> really can9t understand resistance from what should be the choir. Does
> anyone have a vested interest in keeping this music foreign, small, 
> clubby,
> exotic, not understandable, not mass? What are we holding on to here?
> Inertia, from such obviously committed professionals?
>
> If you check out www.sfsc.yabla.com and some of these videos/songs, I 
> think
> you can clearly experience for yourself, as inelegant as the design may 
> be,
> that yes, at least a few, if not many, mainstream music fans would be much
> more interested in more world and international music and show up at more
> concerts, with additional enjoyment and enrichment, if they understood the
> words and meanings to these songs, for example. In all genres with lyrics.
>
> The track Dmitri sent was almost all instrumental and great, but people 
> will
> sing along in North America, (and did to many bands I represented even 
> when
> not understanding lyrics), if they know the words and the words mean
> something to them.
>
> How do you get mass American audiences to give a damn withOUT 
> understanding
> language and the stories, words, meanings, hooks, cultures represented? 
> This
> is the human mind I9m speaking about, NOT technology. Flip the switch with
> the words AND the music! It9s so much cooler to understand than not to
> understand, no?
>
> What is education without language and understanding? Eventually your mind
> has to understand the other or the language, as it cries for connection, 
> or
> hides from the unknown.
>
> I9d guess many of the lucky people on this thread have been in a country
> where they could not communicate nor understand nor read anything familiar
> and that9s one of the reasons we have heightened sensitivities to this
> issue, but just imagine when you will be able to understand all the lyrics
> you hear and all the tv stations or radio stations or websites you surf.
> It9s as powerful to solving our problems as breaking down costs of
> transportation, communication, education, recording, distribution all the
> traditional barriers.
>
> Anyway, off now to Alliance Francaise in NYC who found by themselves and 
> now
> use yabla for language learning, just because of the great musical and tv
> language content online that their students love to use to learn, listen,
> enjoy, understand and expand their minds and consciousness.
>
> I9m envisioning a program to help offer l.e.d. Signs, or other solutions,
> for live venues presenting translated lyrics from different languages. 
> More
> than open for all ideas, collaborations, support and suggestions, thanks.
>
> All best, Robert
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I think stories and context are important. But I am not sure language
> translation alone is going to solve our problems. Does a world music CD 
> with
> lyric translations interest a mainstream music fan or hipster music fan 
> more
> than a world music CD without lyric translation? Would "typical North
> American hip hop fans" show up to an X Plastaz (Tanzanian/Maasai hip hop
> band) concert and read LCD/LED screens? (Hear
> http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/ram/Geo_Cheza%20(Kid%20Sundance%20Remix).ra
> m.) I
> agree that understanding the stories and words helps... but N. Americans 
> are
> not going to sing along, for the most part. The barrier, I think, is much
> bigger than language. A movement that gets a mass American audience to 
> give
> a damn about what is going on outside of our borders would be far more
> effective. The original music technology of the human mind would be far 
> more
> effective than any computer software in engaging people in the planet's
> music as a whole. The wireless is built in from birth. The question is how
> to flip the switch. Make global curiosity cool for many different
> sub-populations of North America.
>
> Much respect,
>
> ===> Dmitri!
> music at rockpaperscissors.biz
>
>
>
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:11:44 -0400
> From: "Kathryn Garcia" <kgarcia at carnivalcenter.org>
> Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] Language!
> To: "Dmitri Vietze" <music at rockpaperscissors.biz>,
>    <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>
>
> I agree Dmitri, addressing language alone does not solve the problem.  I
> think part of instilling this sense of "global curiosity" as you mention
> comes through education. It's all a question of what you've been exposed
> to.
>
> It is important for us not to forget about bringing world music into the
> schools.  If a kid hears and learns about music from Vietnam, Pakistan
> or Peru in the classroom, they are not only learning about these places,
> but it instills an open mindedness early on.  It is crucial that we work
> on the long term as well, because as cheesy as it may seem - this is
> really where the future and real change lies.
>
> This also means that more world music artists need to develop programs
> to make this very foreign stuff (in some cases) accessible for kids.  If
> kids have a great time and learn new things, teachers and students will
> be begging for more!
>
> Kathryn
> (Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, Miami)
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